


Look Me In The Eye

by Fox_Pause



Series: Weird words [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: 2 minute staring, Alive Hale Family, Alive Laura Hale, Angry Derek, Clumsy Stiles Stilinski, Derek Has Issues, Eyes, Happy Ending, Hurt Derek, I tried to describe, Lost Stiles, M/M, Oblivious Derek, Oblivious Stiles, Opia, POV Alternating, POV Derek, POV Stiles, Psychology, Stiles is Legal, Tumblr, Weird words, in as many was as possible, staring contest, sterek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-16
Updated: 2016-01-16
Packaged: 2018-05-14 05:46:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5731639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fox_Pause/pseuds/Fox_Pause
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a social experiment.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Look Me In The Eye

Opia:<br />  
'n. The ambiguous intensity of looking someone in the eye, which can feel simultaneously invasive and vulnerable'

Or

The one where Stiles is late and flustered, Derek's an angry little werewolf and the both of them participate in one of Laura's unusual psychology experiments.

* * *

 

“Where the…..?”

He stands at the foot of a tall office building, head craned towards the sky. Big, brown, doe eyes widen as he takes in the sheer size of the thing. It towers above him, bland grey bricks snarling at him from above, threatening to suck all life out of his personality. He scans the side of the building longingly, as if a giant red arrow will suddenly pop into existence, pointing to his floor.

No such luck.

Squinting at the city map crinkled in his trembling hands, he sees he isn’t even on the right street.

“Shit.”

Making a wild dash for the building -which is at least half a mile away, he disappears around the corner, red hoodie flapping wildly in the wind as he throws himself into a sprint.

-

He’s way too nervous to do this. To be out. In _public_. Actually, now that he thinks about it, he never should’ve let his sister bully him into this. No matter how much taunting he would’ve had to endure.  

Begrudgingly, he sits in the foyer. Hunched over slightly in his seat, leather jacket stretched between broad shoulders, he waits for his ‘partner’ to get here. He can only guess what they’ll look like. Laura, forever the cryptic one, wouldn’t tell him who he was completing her little 'experiment’ with.  

Maybe they’ll have a loose ponytail and eyes that crinkle when they smile. Maybe they’ll be taller than he is, with flaming hair that stands on its ends - as if electrocuted, or maybe, just maybe, they’ll be perfect.  

He squeezes his eyes shut, forcing himself to stop trying to picture what they’ll look like. It doesn’t matter what they look like in the end, or how they hold themselves. Whoever they are, they’re over 20 minutes late.

Whoever they are, they’re rude.  

A clacking of heels echo’s throughout the hallway, making his head snap towards the sound. There’s a woman, dressed in a tight black office dress making her way towards the front desk -presumably as he did, close to 20 minutes ago. He narrows his eyes at the lady strutting down the hall. 'about fucking time’, he thinks to himself. As she draws nearer, her gaze clings to his, clearly embarrassed. He watches, somewhat awkwardly, as the blush spreads from her high cheekbones to the rest of her torso, deepening with each step.  

This must be his 'partner’.  

He glares daggers at her, and her graceful steps falter. How dare she be late -and to think, he came 10 minutes early. As required.

She seems a little taken aback by his brutish behaviour - judging by the disapproving huff she lets out a second later. As she draws closer he rises to his feet, ready to be taken into the studio.  

She cocks an eyebrow as he stands, tilting her head back and striding confidently past him.

He blanches as she waltzes down the hall, staring at her receding figure. 'where is sh…’ the clacking of heels fades as she rounds a corner. Into her office. 'I.. don’t think that’s who…shit’ He grimaces, making a mental note to apologies later.  

His eyes drift to the still-open door.  

Instead of falling closed with a solid click, the door catches, and suddenly a flustered, young man bursts into the room.  

He gazes around the clinical hall with a comical look on his face, although Derek is sure the boy isn’t aware he’s making it. His eyes are wide, as if this is the most awe-inspiring room he’s ever seen before. Derek watches, intrigued, as the kid makes his way anxiously up to the front desk, mashing his words together, using his hands to compensate for his word vomit. He asks for Derek’s sister, apologizing profusely for being so late -'thisismyfirsttimeinthecityimsosorryigotlost’- before the receptionist waves him off politely, sending him down the hall with a shy smile, pressing a button to let Laura know they’re ready.  

-

He wasn’t expecting anywhere so… fancy.  

Not that he has time to take it all in. He’s just so.Fucking.Late

He bursts into the hallway breathless, almost knocking some poor woman on her ass. He knows he’s a mess, and the woman -bless her soul- seems to sense his nervousness. She steps back, a knowing smile on her face and wishes him good luck.  

Basically falling onto the receptionist’s desk he apologizes, but isn’t sure she’s actually getting anything he’s saying. She nods warily, waving down the hall, eyeing his hands cautiously as they fly about his face trying to somehow get her to understand his word vomit. She doesn’t speak, just smiles somewhat menacingly, sending him down the hall with another stiff nod.  

Turning down the hall, he finally has time to catch his breath. He pulls in the crisp, scented air, hating the way it rattles through his lungs. He admires the modern art lining the walls, slowly working his way towards a man who looks like he’s been sucking a lemon for a lifetime too long.

-

He’s about to greet the kid -who’s sucking down air like he’s been freakin’ denied it all his life- when his sister, Laura, strides out of her office. She’s always had the worst timing.  

She plasters a toothy grin on her face, clearly too stressed out to provide them with something genuine. She pins the kid with a pointed stare, before glancing over to Derek.

“Glad you two could make it.” The kid flushes.  

She examines him before turning on the spot, walking gracefully towards her office, beckoning for them to follow.

When they get inside his sisters office, Derek’s a little taken back. This is so not what he was expecting.  

He was expecting something along the lines of a large space with fancy white walls. Psychology books littering the bookshelves and posters with cliché motivational messages on every free surface.  

What he got, were two chairs and a white sheet.  

-

“Am I in the right place?”  

He knows he sounds dumb, OK? But this -this can’t be right.  

It’s so… unprofessional.  

Laura smiles down at him, letting her cold demeanor slip. She gestures to one of the chairs. “Please, sit.”

He does, somewhat cautiously.  

The other man does the same, and now they’re sitting less that a meter apart. Laura nods excitedly, grabbing her clipboard and scratching out some hasty notes. “What I’m going to have you two do for me today is commonly known as a social experiment.” she waltzes over to the sheet by the window, making sure its tightened. “You are not allowed to speak to each other until this is over. Do you understand?”

Both men nod. Stiles can’t stop his hands from shaking.

Laura clasps a warm hand over his bony fingers, squeezing them gently. “There’s no need to be nervous” He releases a heavy sigh. “When I say 'start’ I want both of you to gaze deeply into each others eyes, until I say 'stop’. You are allowed to blink, scratch and fidget, but please, don’t talk.” They both nod in understanding.  

Stiles readies himself, happy he remembered to take his meds today.  

Laura clears her throat. “Ok. start.”

-

'This is weird’ is the first thought that comes to mind when staring into the honey orbs placed in front of him.  

Staring into a strangers eyes, is not what Derek expected to be doing today. He thought Laura might need him to donate blood or do something that remotely relates to psychology, but no, instead, he’s staring into pools so deep he could drown in the pure gold that lurks there.  

He’s staring into the eyes of a stranger, feeling like this boy, this kid, could be his undoing. He’s feeling like he finally understands the age old saying that 'eyes are the window to the soul’, because right now, he feels like he’s being slowly explored, like this kid has the keys he’s tried so hard to hide and is slowly exploring the ruins of his mind, taking care not to trample his makeshift foundations.  

And you know what?  

It feels kind of nice to let someone in. It feels intimate. it feels right.  

-

It’s not his eyes that Stiles finds himself studying at first, but the lack of smile lines that should be framing them.  

He locks gazes with the man after a slight shove from Laura, instantly feeling like he’s prying into matters too wicked.  

But still, he gazes.  

Within seconds he’s lost himself to the swirling concoction of blues and browns that meld themselves together. Within seconds, he becomes witness to the demons this man carries. He sees the pain of past lovers in the harshness of his stare. Sees the backlash they’ve caused. Without speaking, this man as confessed the secrets of his heart to Stiles.  

To nothing more than a kid.  

Stiles knows this is too much, too soon, but all he wants to do is fix this strangers broken pieces. Make him whole again. Start re-forming those happy lines that should’ve already settled themselves around his eyes.  

But it doesn’t feel fair. Not even a little.

Here he is, staring unabashedly into this man’s eyes -into his soul, and offering nothing in return.  

So he lets the stranger in.  

Lets him play silent witness to the grief he’s seen with young eyes. Lets him see the heartache, the pining, the struggles, the medication. He lets him see everything.  

-

It’s like a wormhole’s been opened up, and Derek’s falling in head first.  

He’s tumbling into a world he’s not familiar with, but yet, doesn’t feel wrong.  

He wasn’t prepared for this. Gazing into deepening pools of warm whiskey, he can’t help but stare. The kids eyes just snapped, pupils dilating as he takes in a rushed breath.  Letting him into a world he feels he wasn’t supposed to see. He see’s lingering hurt behind curious eyes, quickly taught to look away. He-

“Stop! Times up.”

-

Stiles blinks a couple times. 'What just happened?’  

The stranger doesn’t seem to know either. Somehow, that word feels wrong. 'stranger’. No, his is something else. This is something so much more.  

Laura steps between them, blocking their view. “How’d you boy’s do?” They don’t respond, choosing instead to move their heads to the side, locking gazes once again. She purses her lips and sighs, moving to the other side of the room, grabbing some papers and handing one to each of them. “I’ll be back in a little bit. Just fill these out for me and leave them on the desk.” When they both blink dumbly at her she adds, “Oh! don’t forget to introduce yourselves either.”  

-

Once Laura leaves, Derek snaps himself out of his trance.  

Shaking his head, he rubs the back of his neck with a sweaty palm. “I-uh. I’m Derek.” He offers the kid his free hand.

The kid smiles shyly, taking Derek’s hand timidly, blush blossoming on his cheeks. “Yeah.” he sighs, before remembering he hasn’t actually introduced himself yet. “I’m Stiles.”  

Derek smiles, shaking his head fondly. He moves to a stand, pulling the kid up with him “So. Stiles” The kid-Stiles, looks up at him with those eyes -full of promise, of life- and Derek just can’t help himself. “Would you -uh- would you like to grab a coffee sometime?”  

* * *

 

  **NOTES**

**Who doesn't want to read a fic where our babies stare at each other for a whole 2 minutes? Nobody who's sane, that's for sure.**

**Welcome to the fandom!**

 

** I spend roughly 95-100% of my time on Tumblr, so make sure to talk to me [here](http://fox-pause.tumblr.com/). You could even suggest some weird words for me to add to the series!  **

** As per usual, If you liked my writing make sure to leave a kudos, or a comment if you REALLY liked it. **

** (づ￣ ³￣)づ*:･ﾟ✧ **

** (love you all) **

 


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